Why Mr. Clean Never Had Back Problems

By Krista Elliott

Having your own home or apartment is great. It's nice to be able to be the monarch of your own castle, making everything just so, and walking around in your underwear whenever you feel like it. But with all of those enviable perks come some pretty major responsibilities, like bills, maintenance, and ... cleaning. 

Some people really like housecleaning. These chipper individuals swan around with their broom and mop like a caffeinated Cinderella, complete with song and the admiring glances of woodland creatures. (I always did wonder, however, why someone as clean as Cinderella let all of those mice and birds hang around the house.) Then there are those of us who clean only because we just can't stand the sight of the mess anymore. Muttering darkly about "people in this house who, for some reason, leave socks lying around everywhere," we begrudgingly tackle the mess until it's good enough that we feel justified in taking a Facebook break. 

Sure, cleaning keeps your house looking and smelling more like a home and less like something that was dragged out of the Great Dismal Swamp. But housecleaning does not come without its risks to your spine and joints. 

Mr. Clean Never Had Subluxations

You might think that cleaning isn't strenuous, and so it doesn't pose any risk. But you'd be surprised. During a typical bout of cleaning, what ARE some of the things that might cause problems with your spine and joints? 

But I Have a Bucket - Time to scrub and mop the floors? Got your bucket filled? It might surprise you to know that a 5-gallon bucket filled with water weighs over 40 pounds. That's a lot of weight to be lugging around with one hand. Even if, more realistically, you only fill it with three gallons of water, you're still looking at a weight of over 25 pounds. And when you carry weighty items unevenly, you put strain on your joints and muscles, creating ripe conditions for subluxations. 

I Don't Do Windows. Oh Wait ... Yes, I Do - Windows are one of the worst cleaning chores, but they do have to be done. All of that reaching and stretching while up on a stepstool can be dangerous, though. Not only are you at risk of strain, but you're also at risk of a joint-damaging slip or fall. 

Scrubbing the Porcelain Throne - Cleaning the bathroom can set you up for multiple causes of back pain. From bending over the toilet trying to scrub out rust stains, to leaning waaaay over to get the far wall of your tub enclosure, there's a lot of reaching and twisting going on. And that's not even accounting for wet floors and surfaces that invite slips and falls. 

Caution and care can help safeguard your back and joints. But if you do get injured, pop in to The Joint Chiropractic and we'll be happy to help your back feel like its old self again. With gentle and precise adjustments, taking your entire musculoskeletal structure into account, the experts at The Joint can help relieve your pain and get your joints into the healthiest possible alignment. And even if you didn't get hurt, a visit to The Joint can help make sure that your frame stays strong, well-balanced and aligned, providing you with a great defense against future injuries. 

So if you're all ready to dive headfirst into your chores, visit The Joint Chiropractic first, and make sure you're not diving headfirst into back pain and joint misalignments.